(Switzerland/ France/ USA)

A research scientist with over 40 years of international experience in environmental sustainability. Arthur Dahl brings to the governing board more than 40 years’ international experience in the environment and sustainability. He holds a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of California.

As a research scientist, Arthur has worked on complex ecological systems and organised inter-governmental programmes on the environment in various parts of the world. This led to responsibilities in the secretariat for the Rio Earth Summit (1992) drafting Agenda 21, as Coordinator of the UN System-wide Earthwatch and as a Deputy Assistant Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme.

He is currently President of the International Environment Forum - a partner organisation to the ebbf - and on the Board of Directors for the Global Islands Network. Arthur is a leading expert on indicators of sustainability, islands and coral reefs and has collaborated on projects with the World Economic Forum and other international organisations. He is also the author of many publications and books including ‘The Eco Principle: Ecology and Economics in Symbiosis’.

He is presently coordinator of the UNEP/University of Geneva Environmental Diplomacy Programme and teaches and lectures widely on sustainable development.

(Ireland)

Strategic Director & Partner, Lava Design, Amsterdam

Paul Hughes left the rolling green hills of his native Ireland, shortly after completing his studies in Visual Communication, and arrived in the distinctive flat planes of the Netherlands, where he has worked in the creative industries for the last ten years.

Currently, based in Amsterdam, he is strategic director of Lava graphic studios where he works to build Dynamic Brands for organizations.

Believing that many of our global problems are actually design problems he has held visiting lectureships on the topic of Design Thinking and the Value of Design at a variety of international institutes, including: School of Visual Arts New York, Parsons School of Design New York, New York University, The Fashion Institute of New York, University of Arts Vilnius (Lithuania), The National College of Art and Design Dublin (Ireland), Hojer College of Visual Communication (Denmark), Bergen National Academy of the Arts (Norway), University of Science & Technology Islamabad (Pakistan), Kyoorius DesignYatra Goa, (India), Ain Shams University (Egypt), Hallo Academy (Holland), Willem De Kooning Academy (Holland), and Eindhoven Design Academy (Holland).

(France)

For most of her professional life Françoise Le Goff  has been driving a robust and creative humanitarian diplomacy agenda in the African region on behalf of the International Red Cross and built strong and operationally important partnerships with key stakeholders, including UN agencies, embassies, regional governmental networks such as SADC and the EU, academia and NGOs.

While head of the International Red Cross Federation’s southern Africa Zone since  September 2004,  Françoise led a small humanitarian diplomacy unit, profiling the Federation and its member National Societies as key humanitarian and development actors and voices in southern Africa. Under her leadership, the Red Cross has positioned itself strongly and credibly in regards climate change adaptation and risk reduction (through the Zambezi River Basin Initiative or the Integrated Food Security Programme), the still-unfolding HIV and AIDS pandemic (through the Global Alliance on HIV and AIDS) and violence (through the work of Red Cross volunteers activities during the xenophobic attacks in South Africa).



Following the successful organisation of the Pan African Conference in Johannesburg where Red Cross Red Crescent representatives from 53 countries decided on the strategic directions for the continent and the positive sensitisation of the public on the Red Cross, Françoise Le Goff has actively fostered and engaged with a network of opinion leaders in an effort to bring new insights to the challenges and opportunities facing humanitarian actors in the region. This think tank includes economists, academics, journalists, current and former political operatives and social leaders.

Her previous experience in the Eastern Africa region incorporates some of the most pressing and complicated humanitarian contexts on the continent of refugees, post-war rebuild, ethnic violence, epidemics and natural disasters to be tackled with the underlying needs to strengthen the capacities of national Red Cross organisations to themselves be in charge and lead their own future.

(Finland)

Mika Korhonen is a member of the european baha'i business forum (ebbf ) governing board - "contributing to a prosperous, sustainable and just civilization by promoting and applying ethical values, personal virtues and moral leadership in business and civil society".

He is also serving as a national representative of ebbf for Finland where he currently lives with his wife and three children.

Over twenty five years in the I.T. world and over fifteen of them working professionally creates a proven track record for an experienced software development professional. He worked over 8 years for Nokia in Finland and India and for a small telecom enterprise. Amongst his positions Director of R&D and a member of the management team. Currently he works as a Senior Business Manager in Digia using agile software development methods to transform the business into a values-based organization, introducing a culture driven by empowerment, transparency, bravery and continuous learning.

Mika has also studied leadership at Helsinki University of Technology focusing on coaching-style leadership: putting together best practices from the areas of sports coaching, latest business leadership views and the baha'i perspective.

At his work he promotes values-based leadership, loves to challenge people by asking "what is important?" and helps people to accomplish more than they ever imagined in a meaningful way.

(UK)

A founder member of the ebbf and a social activist working for the betterment of humanity. Wendi Momen's key focus is on the advancement of women and their participation in decision-making at all levels, on sustainable living and on social justice.

She is Secretary-General of ebbf, board member of UN Women UK National Committee, a Trustee of the Multi-Faith Centre at the University of Derby, Trustee of the Bedford Council of Faiths, a Non-Executive Director of NHS Bedfordshire, co-founder of Advance and a board member of Naserian.

Wendi has been a magistrate in the criminal court since 1982, a court chairman since 1994 and a court chairman to the family panel since 1991. She was also previously Vice Chairman of the North and Mid-Bedfordshire Bench. Wendi is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), a member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), a member of Soroptimist International (SI Bedford) and an individual member of the National Council of Women.

She holds a BSc in Economics and a Ph.D. in International Relations, both from the London School of Economics, of which she is now a Governor. She was a Director and Trustee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United Kingdom from 1982 to 2005.

Mahmud Samandari is a coach for startups at the Swiss federal Commission for Technology and Innovation, CTI.  He is also the CEO of InnovaRadio, a company that develops technology for Energy efficiency solutions for the Wireless Industry.  He is a founder of the European Baha'i Business Forum and a member of its Board.

He is a serial entrepreneur, having started companies in the fields of IT, telecommunications and education both in Europe and Latin America. 

Globatel, a company he started in 1998, was a pioneer in satellite-based Interactive Distance Learning and closely collaborated with the World Bank's Global Development Learning Network (GDLN).  It also participated actively in Micronet, a project jointly prepared, promoted and set up with the World Bank, the Ecuadorian government, Microsoft and Finca Internacional for the promotion of Microenterprises. 

As the Member of the Board of various institutions and corporations he has been involved with activities ranging from cable TV, banking software and telecommunications trade association, to schools, radio stations and the Alliance Française, as well as a CSR industry group and a worldwide youth organization (AIESEC).  He participated actively in consultations with the telecom regulator of Ecuador on new legislation.  He holds a PhD in International Law from the Graduate Institute for International Studies of Geneva.  His thesis is on the obligation of States to cooperate with international organizations.

(USA/ France)

Co-founder and President of the ebbf and creator of an international consulting enterprise.George Starcher is a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School. He was a Director and Senior Partner at McKinsey & Co. international management consultants in Paris and Milan and subsequently created his own consulting enterprise.

George is a frequent public speaker and author of a number of publications on such topics as CSR, business ethics, entrepreneurship, socially responsible enterprises and a new paradigm of work.

He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the European Centre for Continuing Education (CEDEP) since 1972. 

(UK / Italy/ Spain)

Director General of the ebbf and passionate advocate of innovation and ethics in business. Daniel Truran is passionate about connecting individuals to their integrity, creativity and ethics - inspiring them into action by linking them to other like-minded doers.

He demonstrates, through innovative enterprises, how ethical behaviour in business is directly linked to success. Daniel promotes the movement towards a world that will act, behave and be organised as one country – where the creativity of its diverse citizens will enhance the well-being and prosperity of humankind.

Following a career as Logistics and Marketing Director at Exel plc. working in London, Sydney, Johannesburg and Milan, he was a board member of Spirit in Business, Vice President of Humanica Social Ventures, a Director of Via3 and Board of Trustees member of the Association for Spirit at Work. 

He is currently Visiting Professor and Tutor on Social Entrepreneurship at Instituto Empresa Business School, and at the EOI Business school, Professor of CSR and Sustainability at the European School of Economics and a founding member of the Hub Madrid.